GTP Cool Wall: 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro

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1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro

  • Total voters
    96
  • Poll closed .
Wiegert

Wiegert

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United Kingdom
United Kingdom
1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro nominated by @Aerocoupe

Chevrolet-Camaro-front-thre-quarters.jpg


Body Style: 2-door coupé, 2-door convertible
Engines: 2.5L I4, 2.8L V6, 3.1L V6, 5.0L V8, 5.0L H.O. V8, 5.0L Crossfire V8, 5.0L TBI V8, 5.0L TPI V8, 5.7L TPI V8
Power: 85-110 hp (I4), 102-135 hp (2.8L), 140 hp (3.1L), 145 hp (5.0L), 190 hp (H.O.), 165 hp (Crossfire), 170 hp (TBI), 205 hp (TPI), 225 hp (5.7L)
Torque: 123-135 lb-ft (I4), 145-165 lb-ft (2.8L), 200 lb-ft (3.1L), 240 lb-ft (5.0L), 240 lb-ft (H.O.), 240 lb-ft (Crossfire), 255 lb-ft (TBI), 275 lb-ft (TPI), 300lb-ft (5.7L)
Weight: 1400-1525 kg
Drivetrain: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Transmissions: 3-speed automatic, 4-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual​

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The Firebird was prettier most years, but these were never bad looking. Maybe one day these will out grow the trailer park image, uncool for now sadly.
 
If this car were in a film, it'd be driven by the douchey jock high-schooler who treats his cheerleader girlfriend like a sack of meat and goads the hero into doing something stupid that gets him into life-changing trouble while the jock gets off scot-free.
 
Famine
If this car were in a film, it'd be driven by the douchey jock high-schooler who treats his cheerleader girlfriend like a sack of meat and goads the hero into doing something stupid that gets him into life-changing trouble while the jock gets off scot-free.
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So it'd be that dude from the beginning from Tokyo Drift. Who strangely had a Viper, somehow.
 



I apologize for judging the book by it's cover, but this generation of the Camaro really is one of the official vehicles of hillbillies. Pretty much everyone I notice driving one of these, just like almost every other 1980s Chevrolet product, looks at least a bit sketchy. This was certainly one of the better American "sports cars" of the malaise period, but says virtually nothing. Standards for high performance became so low during that time, therefore this was considered fast by many.

Seriously Uncool.
 
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Razor440
So it'd be that dude from the beginning from Tokyo Drift. Who strangely had a Viper, somehow.
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Probably because it wasn't 1988 any more.

No Noughties high school jock douche would be seen dead in a 15-year old anything* - just as a modern truck-jacking crew wouldn't used riced Civics to nick loads of 9" CRT/VCR sets.

*The cheerleader being an obvious exception...
 
I do like this gen Camaro alot. Despite the redneck stereotype, and the modest power. Still managed to beat a Porsche 928S around a race track.

Was going to go cool, but hit SZ. Meh.
 
Less of the trailer park trappings outside the US, always liked these and a solid Cool for me, but subjectivity aside, any car that literally says (sometimes at least) "I ROCK" is surely cool in anyone's book?
 
Looking beyond the usual stereotypes this car has sadly carried with it, I'm going to vote SZ, though I'm betting that was obvious to most anyway :P.

But why? Well, there's plenty of reasons. The development of this car could've gone so much differently than it did. This generation of Camaro was almost FWD believe it or not; had crap boxes like the Chevette not sold well and secured GM meeting the average mpg for their lineup, it would've been a weird Frankenstein of J and X bodies that wouldn't have turned out well. The engineers did modify a Sirocco with different suspension and even a turbo to simulate what they wanted from a FWD F-body, but it was still slower than a late second generation TA around their test track.

The main focus of the third gens was handling, not outright power; the chassis was developed 'Z28 first', meaning it was designed with performance in mind, rather than just some random platform with stiff suspension thrown at it. It also trimmed a few hundred pounds from its predecessor, and was the most rigid Camaro yet. The uni body construction was first for the Camaro, and aided the more rigid structure. The suspension was also new, set up to get the best possible grip and stability possible, even if it sacrificed the ride quality a bit. The engineers were adamant to get the best handling possible, and to their credit the Z28 could pull skid pad numbers rivaling the likes of the Ferrari 308.

Then there's the way it looks-sleek, aerodynamic, and modern. It had the steepest windshield rake of any GM car before it, and that huge rear glass hatch was a marvel. The shape was complex, and the company contracted to make it said it was impossible to mass produce, so a few experts were sent down to make it happen. Just for comparison, here's what an '82 Mustang looks like:
1982_00013_01.jpg

1982_00013_04.jpg

You would be forgiven for mistaking it for an econobox and not a Mustang. The hatchback also allowed you to carry a few things, unlike this:
2010-chevrolet-camaro-trunk.jpg

And you could actually see out of it too :sly:.

It wasn't without faults: workers at the Norwood plant showed up when they felt like it, there were brake shortages that led to some cars getting drums rather than the discs they were supposed to have. Hell, even a few 1LEs left the factory with rear drums, though they were aluminum instead of steel. T-Tops were notorious for leaking, and the 5-speed gearboxes couldn't withstand being behind the 5.7 V8.

Sure, your Camry V6 will out accelerate it, and a current Civic can match and even beat it's cornering grip, but neither will ever be looked at as anything but average transport. This will always be remembered for doing something different, for better or worse, and being able to claim being advanced for its time to boot.
 
joedirt.jpg


Def Leppard sucks!

I know, not the same car but when someone brings up this generation, this is what comes to mind.
 
Something something rural countryside.
Something something ghetto.

While i like camaros and plenty others do here, I think it's SU.
 
The worst Camaro ever. It's ugly, slow and attracts a certain kind of person. Uncool.
 
Of the two or three running around here, one has a supercharger sitting proud out of the hood. Yeah, not trying too hard to sterotype at all.

Uncool. SU for the aforementioned local one.
 
Not as pretty as it's Pontiac cousin but not a bad looking thing.

We don't have hillbillies here so that stereotype doesn't really come to mind when seeing one.
These have more presence than your average old car here, low cool.
 
I'm never comfortable with a car that long and a wheelbase that short. Ghastly. Uncool.
 
I remember Cletus Clarkson driving one of those Camaros back in Top Gear US Special and he claimed that the Camaro he bought had a gloomy and questionable past.

I would give this a Meh. Not a bad Camaro but not a good Camaro.
 
SVT Cobra GT
Not as pretty as it's Pontiac cousin but not a bad looking thing.

We don't have hillbillies here so that stereotype doesn't really come to mind when seeing one.
These have more presence than your average old car here, low cool.
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Plenty of car stereotypes that I usually hear on the internet doesn't apply to where I live.
 
I had an '88 IROC and an '87 5.0. The 5.0 was a better "point and squirt" type of car, while the IROC was a much better cruiser. They both had T-Tops. The 'Stang's were better. And a 30 year old muscle car has got the cool factor.
 
Sub Zero
Because I unashamedly LOVE THEM! Granted, I don't know how they drive, how the engines performed, and all that jazz, but I just love the sharp lines. I can honestly say that if I had the disposable income, I would buy one and go crazy with updating that sucker. Two attached images are two of my favourites.

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